US20080290985A1 - Method and apparatus for disabling the user interface of electronic devices - Google Patents
Method and apparatus for disabling the user interface of electronic devices Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20080290985A1 US20080290985A1 US11/753,990 US75399007A US2008290985A1 US 20080290985 A1 US20080290985 A1 US 20080290985A1 US 75399007 A US75399007 A US 75399007A US 2008290985 A1 US2008290985 A1 US 2008290985A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- electronic device
- questionable
- input
- inputs
- key
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
- H04M1/66—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers with means for preventing unauthorised or fraudulent calling
- H04M1/667—Preventing unauthorised calls from a telephone set
- H04M1/67—Preventing unauthorised calls from a telephone set by electronic means
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
- G06F1/26—Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof
- G06F1/32—Means for saving power
- G06F1/3203—Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
- G06F1/3206—Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
- G06F1/3215—Monitoring of peripheral devices
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M2250/00—Details of telephonic subscriber devices
- H04M2250/12—Details of telephonic subscriber devices including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates generally to the user interfaces of electronic devices and the “locking,” or disabling, of those devices to limit power drain and to prevent unwanted or inadvertent activity with such devices.
- Mobile electronic devices, such as wireless telephones, include user interfaces that have both input and output apparatuses. Input apparatuses permit a user to input information, such as data or commands, to the electronic device and may include keypads, or voice input devices, for example. Output apparatuses allow a mobile device to provide the user with information by displaying information on a display, such as a liquid crystal display, for example, by announcing information using the device's speaker, or by flashing a light emitting diode (LED).
- The power available to a mobile electronic device is always limited, and sometimes critically so. In order to “preserve charge,” many schemes have been employed, to greater or lesser success. Some of those schemes attempt to limit the power consumption of mobile devices during periods of relative inactivity. For example, many mobile devices allow a user to manually lock the device's keypad when the device is not going to be in use, so that power is not expended on backlighting a display, inadvertent key presses are not misinterpreted as a desired dialing sequence, or applications are not unintentionally launched. By locking the keypad we mean, simply, that input from the keypad is ignored. Unfortunately, manual locking is somewhat inconvenient and easily overlooked. As a result, precious battery power is often needlessly and uselessly dissipated, inadvertent key presses are misinterpreted as dialing sequences, and application software programs are unintentionally launched.
- To overcome the inconvenience of manually locking a device, some electronic devices employ an auto-locking scheme whereby the device is automatically locked after a predetermined period of inactivity. Unfortunately, this approach introduces its own inconvenience because inadvertent key presses, caused by jostling the device within a backpack for example, prevent locking and may also unintentionally launch applications or functions. A convenient way to disable a user interface and thereby prevent unnecessary power consumption or the recognition of inadvertent key presses would be particularly useful.
- The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views and which together with the detailed description below are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to further illustrate various embodiments and to explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the present invention.
-
FIG. 1 is an example mobile electronic device in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 2 is an illustrative flow chart depicting the overall operation of a mobile electronic device in accordance with the principles of the present invention. -
FIG. 3 is an illustrative flow chart providing a more detailed exposition of the operation of a mobile electronic device in accordance with the principles of the present invention, with a particular focus on the locking of such a device. -
FIG. 4 is a diagram of a validity matrix such as may be employed by a mobile electronic device in accordance with the principles of the present invention. -
FIG. 5 is a state diagram that illustrates various lock-related states and the transitions between those states in accordance with the principles of the present invention. - Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
- A mobile electronic device in accordance with the principles of the present invention employs an apparatus and method that monitors one or more inputs, such as a transition in sensed ambient light and key press sequences, to determine when to lock the device. The validity of inputs may be determined, all or in part, for example, by the timing of the key presses. The timing may include the duration and time between key presses, for example. Additionally, inappropriate key presses in a given context, such as the appearance of softkeys in a dialing pattern, may help to determine whether inputs are valid, questionable, or invalid. If there are questionable inputs, the device notifies a user to enter an exit trigger, such as a MENU * key sequence, or else the phone will be locked. By using a variety of factors to discern questionable inputs and by presenting an exit trigger upon receipt of a questionable input, the electronic device will not lock when a user enters the exit trigger after a questionable input but will lock otherwise.
- Thus, a user no longer needs to manually lock the electronic device to avoid inadvertent dialing or launching of applications. Instead, if there is a questionable input, such as a single key being repeatedly pressed when the phone is in low ambient light conditions, the exit trigger will be presented, and if the exit trigger is not entered within a predetermined time period then the phone will lock. Such as scenario can easily be imagined when a user places a mobile phone in a pocket, purse, or backpack. When the user wants to use the mobile phone, a press of any key can result in a transient message displaying the “unlock” key sequence.
- Locking could be implemented at a number of different levels. For example, locking may involve cutting power to various components, such as a display's backlight, to prevent wasteful power drain. Locking could be as simple as blocking response to all key inputs until the device is manually unlocked, thereby preventing inadvertent launching of built-in functions, application software programs, or making unwanted calls. Or, locking the device may entail blocking the operation of one or more specific functions, such as dialing, a camera function, or one or more game-related functions, for example.
- By discerning questionable inputs and locking an electronic device if an exit trigger is not entered within a predetermined time period after a questionable input was received, the device can lock without inadvertent key presses wasting power (e.g., unintentional dialing, unneeded display backlighting, or mistaken launching of applications), can lock without requiring a manual lock entry, and can also lock without requiring a period of inactivity.
-
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of anelectronic device 100. Although the electronic device shown is a wireless telephone, the electronic device could be implemented as a two-way radio, a messaging device, a personal digital assistant, a portable computer, an electronic toy or game console, a cordless telephone, a remote controller, or another type of electronic device. Also, although the electronic device shown has a candy-bar form factor (that is, the device employs a single housing, with all keys permanently exposed), the electronic device could alternately have a clam shell form factor, a rotator form factor, a tri-fold wallet form factor, or a slider form factor, for example. - The
device 100 includes ahousing 110 which supports a first set ofkeys 115 and a second set ofkeys 135 as input apparatuses. While the first set ofkeys 115 is depicted as two soft keys (shown with dots), anavigation key cluster 120, and four function keys (shown with menu-home, go-back, on, and off icons), and the second set ofkeys 135 is depicted as a 12-key keypad, it is understood that the sets ofkeys electronic device 100 includes a thin-filmliquid crystal display 116 and a backlight for that display (not shown) as an output apparatus. The keys may be implemented as standard popple-dome-switch keys, as touch sensitive keys, or keys that employ other technologies. Keys employing a touch sensitive surface may be implemented using resistive, inductive, or capacitive touch-sensitive surfaces, for example. - In this illustrative embodiment, the
electronic device 100 includes acontroller 151, atransceiver 153 for wireless communications with a compatible communication device (not shown), at least onememory 155, andvarious modules 160. Thememory 155 may include a combination of volatile and nonvolatile memory technologies, including, but not limited to, read only memory, static memory, electrically programmable read only memory, dynamic random access memory, nor flash memory, nand flash memory, or phase-change memory, for example. The modules shown 160 include: an ambientlight sensor module 170,key sensor module 180, adisplay module 190, afunction module 191, acall service module 192, and anapplication module 193. - The
modules 160 carry out processes that will be described in the discussion related to subsequent figures. Themodules 160 can be implemented in software (such as in the form of one or more sets of pre-stored instructions) and/or hardware, which can facilitate the operation of theelectronic device 100 as discussed below. Themodules 160 may be installed during manufacture of theelectronic device 100 or can be installed after distribution by, for example, a downloading operation. - The ambient
light sensor module 170 operates in conjunction with a light sensor to provide an indication of the flux of light impinging upon thedevice 100. Themodule 170 may, for example, poll a photosensor and store a value corresponding to that flux level. One or more values may be stored and values may be averaged over a period of time or otherwise processed to eliminate transient values. Additionally, the module may establish threshold levels, time periods, and times of day to determine the extent to which the ambient light level has changed and whether that change may be of an extended nature. A dramatic change in ambient light level for an extended period of time may indicate that the device has been placed in a purse, a briefcase, a gym bag, a pocket, or some other enclosure and, consequently, it may be advantageous to lock the device to prevent unwanted current drain or inadvertent activity. The term “ambient light level” or, simply, “light level” will be used hereinafter to refer to both a specific level of electromagnetic flux and to transitions in such levels of flux. Those skilled in the art will determine from the context which usage is intended. - The
key sensor module 180 reacts to input from any of the various soft, function, navigation, or alphanumeric keys, such as the keys ofkey sets module 180 employs thecontroller 151 to poll the keys to determine whether a key has been activated (by depressing the key, for example). Alternatively, thekey sensor module 180 could be interrupt-driven, for example. Thekey sensor module 180, as will be described in greater detail in the discussion related toFIG. 3 , also makes a determination as to whether a key activation or series of key activations are valid. - The
display module 190 controls the visual aspect of the user interface of theelectronic device 100, including the content displayed on thedisplay 116 and the level of illumination provided by the backlight (not shown) of thedisplay 116. The backlight is operated by thedisplay module 190 to optimize the visibility of thedisplay 116 in various ambient light situations. The backlight consumes a significant amount of power and is typically only turned on to the lowest level that adequately addresses the ambient light situation. - The
function module 191 responds to input from function keys once thekey sensor module 180 passes along its determination as to whether a valid key activation or sequence of activations has been received. Thefunction module 191 may launch and control functions such as the activation and use of a device's built-in camera (not shown), for example. - The
call service module 192 operates in concert with thetransceiver 153 and other components to initiate, receive, and carry on wireless telephone calls. The content of those calls may be voice or data, for example. Similarly, theapplication module 193 operates with thecontroller 151 and other components and modules, to implement application software programs that might include games, address book, calendar, or any number of applications such as may be found on smart phones, personal digital assistants, or portable computers, for example. - The flow chart of
FIG. 2 illustrates the overall operation of theelectronic device 100. In this illustrative embodiment, the device continuously cycles through a “main loop” to service various functions and applications. The process begins instep 200 and proceeds to step 202, where the device enters a keypad servicing loop. In this loop, described in greater detail in the discussion related toFIG. 3 , thecontroller 151, in conjunction with thekey sensor module 180, polls the device's various keys, including function, navigation, soft, and keypad keys, located inkey sets - From
step 202 the process proceeds to step 204, where thedevice 100 enters a display service routine. The display service routine updates the device'sdisplay 116 to reflect the most recent activity by a user or by the internal functioning of thedevice 100. That is, for example, thedisplay 116 may be updated to illustrate that a user has activated a specific key, or the display may be updated to reflect the changes in a game being played on the device. Additionally, the display backlight level can be changed (from turning off the backlight to a maximum illumination) or the display can be turned off completely. The display service routine may be carried out, in large part, in the background by a graphics processor that is separate from the device's main processor. In this illustrative example, such a graphics processor would be considered a component of thecontroller 151. - After exiting the
display service routine 204 the process proceeds to step 206 where it enters a function and application service routine. In this illustrative embodiment, all the mobile electronic device's built-in functions and applications are serviced in this routine. In this context, we define a function as a built-in feature of the device that may be accessed relatively immediately by dedicated keys, keypad entry, or menu selection, for example. Call servicing and camera operation are examples of what we mean by functions. Applications may be less immediately available to a user and may require a user to access multiple layers within a user interface in order to activate the application software programs. Examples of application software programs include games and web browsers, for example. In this routine, thecontroller 151 operates with components including thetransceiver 153 to establish and terminate calls. The calls may be incoming or outgoing and may include voice or data traffic. Camera and other built-in functions may also be serviced here. Additionally, application software programs such as games, streaming video, slide show presentations, a word processor, or a spreadsheet program, for example, may be serviced in this routine. Once initiated in this loop, such applications may operate in a background mode and may employ dedicated processors, such as graphics or math processors, which are considered to be components of thecontroller 151 in this illustrative embodiment. - After exiting the
applications service routine 206 the process proceeds to step 210 where thecontroller 151 determines whether theelectronic device 100 should enter a low power mode of operation. This determination may be made on the basis of a lack of activity, for example, and may entail varying levels of residual activity. One or more processors that form the core of thecontroller 151 may, for example, enter a “sleep mode” whereby all functions other than basic clocking and interrupt servicing are suspended to conserve energy. If thecontroller 151 determines instep 210 that it is to enter the low power mode, the process proceeds to end instep 212. The low power mode of operation may also entail “locking” the user interface to prevent inadvertent inputs such as one or more key presses from affecting the electronic device's operation. In this step thecontroller 151 operates in standby to respond to an incoming call, for example. If, instep 210 thecontroller 151 determines that it will not enter the low power mode, the process returns to step 202 and proceeds from there as just described. - The flow chart of
FIG. 3 illustrates the process flow for a mobile electronic device in accordance with the principles of the present invention whereby the device, in conjunction with modules and processes previously described, determines whether to lock itself in order to prevent unnecessary current drain, the inadvertent launching of applications or functions, or unintentional dialing, for example. In an illustrative embodiment, the process for determining whether to lock or not may be contained wholly or in part within thestep 210 ofFIG. 2 . The locking process may be implemented at various levels. At one level the process may allow one or more functions to continue operating while others are locked out. At another, more complete, level of locking, one or more additional (or substitute) functions or processes may be locked. At still higher levels of locking, those additional (or substitute) functions or processes may be locked. - The process 300 begins in
step 302 and proceeds from there tooptional step 304 where thecontroller 151 attempts to discern from its environment whether it is likely that it should place thedevice 100 in a locked state. Thecontroller 151 may employ the ambientlight sensor module 170, for example, to determine whether there has been a recent significant transition in ambient light levels. Theambient light module 170 may typically be employed to adjust the backlight level of one or more keys in the key sets 115 and 135 or the backlight level of thedisplay 116 in order to provide improved viewing in various ambient light environments. In accordance with the principle of the present invention, in addition to, or in place of, that function, theambient light module 170 may be employed to sense when thedevice 100 is placed in a position where a user may no longer intend to use the device. For example, if the ambient light level drops a predetermined amount and remains low for a predetermined period, the device may determine that it is in a location where the device's user would not normally be expected to use it. For example, thecontroller 151 may “assume” that thedevice 100 is inside a purse, a briefcase, a gym bag, a pocket, or some other such enclosure where a user would not normally be expected to use thedevice 100. - The light level factor may be set to a specific light-to-dark transition value, for example, or it may be set to an absolute ambient light level. Specific values may vary from application to application and from environment to environment and could vary according to the time of day, day of year, or location (which may be determined, for example using an integral GPS receiver), for example. That is, for example, a low ambient light level at 4:00 PM on December 20 in Fairbanks, Ak. would not necessarily be indicative of the
device 100 being placed in a purse, pocket, etc. Sound levels and quality (muffling, for example) may also be employed in accordance with the principles of the present invention to determine whether thedevice 100 may have been placed in a location in which it is unlikely that a user will make intentional entries in the user interface. - From
step 304 the process proceeds to step 306, where thecontroller 151 determines whether thedevice 100 is locked. Such device locking may have been accomplished manually, by entry of a key sequence, for example, or may have previously been effected within the current process 300. If the device is locked, the process returns to themain loop 200 and proceeds from there as previously described. - If the
device 100 is not locked, the process proceeds to step 308. As will be described in greater detail in the discussion related toFIG. 5 , the device enters a semi-locked state at this point. In the semi-locked state, the device's backlight will be lit, and an exit trigger sequence that permits the device to return to the unlocked state will be presented to the user. Instep 308, thecontroller 151 waits for a predetermined period of time Tw. This time period may be selected to be greater than what one would normally expect as the interval between intentional key entries (30 seconds, for example) and a rather lengthy period of time (five minutes, for example) that almost certainly indicates that the device is not actively in use (that is, there is no ongoing user interaction with the device that might be interrupted by locking the device). This intermediate time interval, one minute in an illustrative embodiment, may coincide, for example, with the activity-free time interval at which thedevice 100 normally enters a low power mode whereby it shuts down power consuming operations, such as backlighting thedisplay 116. Alternatively, or in combination with waiting the predetermined time period Tw, the device may determine that one or more key presses have been entered. In either case, that is, the detection of key press entry or the time period Tw transpiring, the process proceeds fromstep 308 to step 310. - In
step 310 the process determines whether one or more inputs that have been received are of questionable validity. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, thecontroller 151 may make this determination based on a variety of factors. For example, thecontroller 151 may include a dynamic list (also referred to herein as a matrix or dictionary) of valid, questionable, and invalid inputs. - An
illustrative matrix 400 is shown inFIG.4 . Such a matrix may be downloaded in its entirety when thedevice 100 is first initialized or a core matrix may be included at the point of manufacture. The matrix may be updated by downloading, or the device may “learn” new dictionary entries in the course of performing its regular operations. For example, a user may enter a teaching mode whereby the user can indicate new input combinations and their valid outcomes or the device can constantly be in a teaching/learning mode. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, instead of a matrix or dictionary (or in addition to a matrix or dictionary) a set of logical rules may be employed to hypothesize 440 whether inputs are valid, questionable, or invalid and are therefore candidates for locking. Such rules, matrices, or dictionaries may employ “wild cards,” for example, to act as placeholders in the determination of such candidate sequences. In thematrix 400 shown, a “#” character represents a wildcard for any key from the set ofkeys 135 shown inFIG. 1 and a “e” represents a wildcard for any key from the key sets 115 shown inFIG. 1 . - The
matrix 400 may include information relatingkey press sequences 430 to currentoperational modes 410 to result in ahypothesis 440 of valid, questionable, or invalid. A key press sequence that is a valid input for a voice communication or dialing mode ofoperation 451 may be a questionable input for a camera mode ofoperation 453. Similarly, a key press that is part of a valid input for a camera mode of operation may not be part of a valid input for a game mode of operation. Instead of, or in addition to anoperational mode 410 factor, thematrix 400 may include a column for application software programs currently running on the device, and/or the current function of the device. For example, if any single key is pressed repeatedly tentimes 455 while the device is in “home” mode and the light sensor indicates that the environment is dark, then input is questionable. - The validity of
key press sequences 430 in an input may be influenced by a number of factors. For example, a continuously activated key, one or more keys that are activated in too rapid succession (for example, less than half a second between key presses), or one or more keys that are activated between lengthy pauses (pauses greater than thirty seconds, for example) may be indicative of keys being inadvertently depressed by an item inside a pocket, purse, or briefcase. If, in addition, the key press patterns are unrecognizable to thecontroller 151 or are inconsistent with the currentoperational mode 410 of thedevice 100, as indicated, for example, by thematrix 400, the controller may flag the key press or presses as potentially problematic. - Additionally, ambient light levels and light level transitions 420, ambient sound levels and quality (not shown), time of day (not shown), and location (not shown) may be taken into account to determine whether it is likely that any key presses that are entered are intentional. Inputs that have been flagged as invalid in this manner may be put on a fast track for rejection. That is, key press sequences hypothesized as invalid may be given less leeway in the final determination of whether to lock the
device 100 and of which level of lock to apply. - In an illustrative embodiment, the
controller 151 may await a predetermined number of inappropriate key presses before hypothesizing 440 that akey press sequence 430 is of questionable validity. This approach would allow a user to make an occasional mistaken entry, without the threat of locking the user interface. It should be noted that, whatever level of lock the device proposes in response to whatever invalid input, the device will likely announce to the user that a possibly invalid input stream has been encountered and that the device will lock the user interface unless the user takes appropriate action within a predetermined period of time. - If the
controller 151 determines instep 310 that no questionable key entries have been made, the process proceeds to step 312 where the controller maintains the device's unlocked status. Fromstep 312, the process proceeds to end instep 314 and from there, return to the main loop, 200. - If, on the other hand, the
controller 151 determines instep 310 that a questionable input has been received, the process proceeds to step 316 where the controller sends a message to the user (this message, this “announcement”, could be implemented via sound or display, or both) indicating that, unless corrective action is taken, the device will be locked. In an embodiment, the corrective action is entering an exit trigger as instructed by the message. As previously mentioned, the lock status is described in greater detail in the discussion related to the state diagram ofFIG. 5 . Stored rules, which may be loaded in the device at the factory and/or downloaded or learned, may make the determination of which level of lock to institute, based on a combination of invalid key sequence and environmental factors. That is, the determination of lock level may be based on factors stored in the matrix previously described. - From
step 316 the process moves to step 318 where thecontroller 151 monitors the user response to the warning ofstep 316, and other factors contained within the previously mentioned matrix to determine whether to proceed with locking the device. In an illustrative embodiment, an exit trigger to avoid locking the device may be the user pressing a valid keypad entry, pressing a particular key such as backspace (go-back) or key sequence such as MENU *, or stating a particular voice command (e.g., “unlock” or “don't lock”). Fromstep 318 the process proceeds to step 320 where thecontroller 151 determines whether an event, the exit trigger, has occurred, which satisfies the requirements for unlocking the device or preventing the device from being locked. If such input is received, the process returns to themain loop 200 without locking the device. As previously noted, in a real time implementation, the process may return to the main loop from time to time to process other system functions, but would return to this point in the process until requirements for unlocking the device are satisfied. - When the requirements for avoiding locking are not met, the process proceeds to step 321 where the device is placed in a locked state. This locked state may, for example, be a low-power state. From
step 321 the process proceeds to step 322, where the device specifies to the user a key sequence to employ to unlock the device. Fromstep 322 the process proceeds to step 323 where the controller determines whether an unlock sequence has been received. If an unlock sequence has not been received, the process returns to step 318 and from there as just described. If an unlock sequence has been received, the process proceeds to step 312, where the device is unlocked and the process proceeds as previously described. As is known in the art, in a real-time implementation, control would naturally shift in and out of this routine, returning to the main loop to service other modules, both shown and not shown inFIG. 2 . For clarity of exposition, such exit points are not shown in the flow chart ofFIG. 3 . For example, in 308 the process may exit to the main loop and return if there is no activity during the waiting period, Tw. In an illustrative embodiment, this process may be a part of the keypad polling routine and loop back is limited in time. Consequently, information related to locking thedevice 100 is stored, the routine is exited to service other routines, and information is retrieved upon reentry. This may occur in various locations throughout the process. - A matrix such as illustrated by the block diagram of
FIG. 4 may be employed by a mobile electronic device in accordance with the principles of the present invention, a cellular telephone in this illustrative embodiment, to correlate device inputs with device functions. This matrix can be stored inmemory 155 ofFIG. 1 . - The categories across the top of the block diagram include the device's current function, the status of the device's light sensor, a key press sequence and a hypothesis formed by the device's controller in response to the preceding factors. For example, if the device's current function is “Home,” the light sensor detects a “normal” light level, and a key sequence of seven numbers, followed by a “call” entry is received, the controller would recognize this sequence as a valid input. On the other hand, if the device's current function is “Home,” the light sensor detects a less-than-normal light level and eleven or more numbers are entered without a “call” entry, the
controller 151 may mark this sequence as questionable. Similarly, if the device's current function is “Camera,” light levels are either high or low, and the input sequence appears random and unrelated to the camera function, thecontroller 151 may mark this sequence as questionable. If the device's current function is “Browser,” light levels are either high or low, and the input sequence is repeated camera function activation inputs, thecontroller 151 determines that the key sequence is invalid. If the device's current function is “Phone,” the light sensor indicates that the environment is dark, and a string of identical soft key inputs are received, thecontroller 151 would hypothesize that the input string is questionable. As previously described, inputs recognized by thecontroller 151 as questionable may launch a process whereby the device locks its user interface until an unlocking sequence is entered by the user. - The state diagram of
FIG. 5 illustrates three lock-related states for anelectronic device 100 in accordance with the principles of the present invention. In this illustrative embodiment, thedevice 100 may be in a not-lockedstate 500, asemi-locked state 502, or a fully-lockedstate 504. - In the not-locked
state 500, input from the user interface may initiate useful action on the part of thedevice 100, with thedevice 100 remaining in the not-locked state, or propel the device, as described in the discussion related to the flow chart ofFIG. 3 , to thesemi-locked state 502 or the fully-lockedstate 504. In this illustrative embodiment the not-lockedstate 500, theelectronic device 100 accepts input from all keys and operates the display in a normal manner (the backlight is lit, for example). In thesemi-locked state 502, all key entries are valid, the display is backlit, and the display presents to the user the option of entering an exit trigger that will return thedevice 100 to the not-lockedstate 500. In the fully-lockedstate 504, not all key inputs are valid, the backlight is not lit, and thedevice 100 displays a transient message, in response to the depression of a key, for example, indicating to the user the procedure for unlocking the device. - When the
device 100 is in the not-locked state, a valid input from the user interface, indicated bytransition 506, maintains the electronic device in the not-lockedstate 500. The validity of an input from the user interface may be determined through use of a validity matrix such as described in greater detail in the discussion related toFIG. 4 . An invalid input from the user interface will propel the electronic device to the fully-lockedstate 504, as indicated by thetransition 508. A questionable input from the user interface will change the state of the device from the not-lockedstate 500 to thesemi-locked state 502 viatransition 5 10. Illustrative examples of invalid and questionable inputs were presented in the discussion related toFIG. 4 . - When the
device 100 is in thesemi-locked state 502 an exit trigger sequence may take thedevice 100 to the not-lockedstate 500, as indicated by thetransition 512. An ambiguous key press may return thedevice 100 to thesemi-locked state 502, as indicated by thetransition 514. Thedevice 100 may transition from thesemi-locked state 502 to the fully-lockedstate 504 when no exit trigger is received to return it to the not-lockedstate 500, as indicated bytransition 516. This “no-exit-trigger” transition may occur in response to one or more improper key presses or to a timeout, for example. - The
device 100 remains in the fully-lockedstate 504 until a proper unlock sequence is received, at which point thedevice 100 returns to the not-lockedstate 500, as indicated by thetransition 518. - In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present invention. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. The invention is defined solely by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued.
- It should be observed that the embodiments reside primarily in combinations of method steps and apparatus components related to a mobile device that analyzes one or more key presses, transients in ambient light, and/or other factors to initiate or maintain a user interface lock status. Accordingly, the apparatus components and method steps have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.
- In this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “comprises . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element.
- It will be appreciated that embodiments of the invention described herein may be comprised of one or more conventional processors and unique stored program instructions that control the one or more processors to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits, some, most, or all of the functions of a lock system and method in accordance with the principles of the present invention described herein. The non-processor circuits may include, but are not limited to, a radio receiver, a radio transmitter, signal drivers, clock circuits, power source circuits, and user input devices. As such, these functions may be interpreted as steps of a method to perform the locking of a device's user interface. Alternatively, some or all functions could be implemented by a state machine that has no stored program instructions, or in one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), in which each function or some combinations of certain of the functions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination of the two approaches could be used. Thus, methods and means for these functions have been described herein. Further, it is expected that one of ordinary skill, notwithstanding possibly significant effort and many design choices motivated by, for example, available time, current technology, and economic considerations, when guided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein will be readily capable of generating such software instructions and programs and ICs with minimal experimentation.
Claims (20)
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/753,990 US7792544B2 (en) | 2007-05-25 | 2007-05-25 | Method and apparatus for disabling the user interface of electronic devices |
PCT/US2008/063367 WO2008147674A1 (en) | 2007-05-25 | 2008-05-12 | Method and apparatus for disabling the user interface of electronic devices |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/753,990 US7792544B2 (en) | 2007-05-25 | 2007-05-25 | Method and apparatus for disabling the user interface of electronic devices |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US20080290985A1 true US20080290985A1 (en) | 2008-11-27 |
US7792544B2 US7792544B2 (en) | 2010-09-07 |
Family
ID=40071859
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US11/753,990 Active 2029-04-27 US7792544B2 (en) | 2007-05-25 | 2007-05-25 | Method and apparatus for disabling the user interface of electronic devices |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US7792544B2 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2008147674A1 (en) |
Cited By (26)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20080055276A1 (en) * | 2006-09-01 | 2008-03-06 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Method for controlling partial lock in portable device having touch input unit |
US20090058842A1 (en) * | 2007-09-04 | 2009-03-05 | Apple Inc. | Devices and methods for controlling a display to conserve power |
US20090170553A1 (en) * | 2007-12-26 | 2009-07-02 | Htc Corporation | Communication device and method for input interface auto-lock thereof |
US20100117949A1 (en) * | 2008-11-10 | 2010-05-13 | Wistron Corp. | Control method for backlight module of lcd and application thereof |
US20100177037A1 (en) * | 2009-01-09 | 2010-07-15 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Apparatus and method for motion detection in a portable terminal |
US20100182147A1 (en) * | 2009-01-20 | 2010-07-22 | Infineon Technologies A.G. | Remote storage of data in phase-change memory |
US20100192090A1 (en) * | 2009-01-26 | 2010-07-29 | Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha | Order receiving apparatus and order receiving method |
US20110300915A1 (en) * | 2010-06-08 | 2011-12-08 | Nokia Corporation | Method, apparatus and computer program product for enabling partial functionality of a mobile terminal |
US20120166696A1 (en) * | 2009-06-26 | 2012-06-28 | Nokia Corporation | Method, Apparatus and Computer Program Code Handling a User Input |
US20120289201A1 (en) * | 2010-06-11 | 2012-11-15 | Zte Corporation | Apparatus and method for unlocking mobile phone |
EP2544070A1 (en) * | 2011-07-08 | 2013-01-09 | Research In Motion Limited | Systems and methods for locking an electronic device |
US8600340B1 (en) | 2010-12-26 | 2013-12-03 | Scott C. Harris | Movement detection system for a portable device such as a portable phone |
US8665212B2 (en) | 2011-07-08 | 2014-03-04 | Blackberry Limited | Systems and methods for locking an electronic device |
US20140160007A1 (en) * | 2012-12-11 | 2014-06-12 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd | Electronic apparatus, method of controlling the same, and computer-readable recording medium |
US20140337492A1 (en) * | 2007-10-18 | 2014-11-13 | Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. | Autonomic computer configuration based on location |
US20150017948A1 (en) * | 2013-07-12 | 2015-01-15 | Nvidia Corporation | Method and system for in-application locking of mobile devices |
US20150072726A1 (en) * | 2013-09-12 | 2015-03-12 | The Boeing Company | Mobile communication device and method of operating thereof |
WO2015050532A1 (en) * | 2013-10-02 | 2015-04-09 | Thomson Licensing | Preventing accidental mobile device use |
US9225813B2 (en) | 2011-10-13 | 2015-12-29 | The Boeing Company | Portable communication devices with accessory functions and related methods |
US9454208B2 (en) | 2013-03-14 | 2016-09-27 | Google Inc. | Preventing sleep mode for devices based on sensor inputs |
US9497221B2 (en) | 2013-09-12 | 2016-11-15 | The Boeing Company | Mobile communication device and method of operating thereof |
WO2017017525A1 (en) * | 2015-07-29 | 2017-02-02 | Assa Abloy Ab | Based on motion of device, perform or limit features |
US9819661B2 (en) | 2013-09-12 | 2017-11-14 | The Boeing Company | Method of authorizing an operation to be performed on a targeted computing device |
US10691191B2 (en) * | 2009-08-24 | 2020-06-23 | Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc | Application display on a locked device |
US20200349250A1 (en) * | 2019-04-30 | 2020-11-05 | International Business Machines Corporation | Multidimensional attribute authentication |
WO2022086541A1 (en) * | 2020-10-22 | 2022-04-28 | Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. | Removal of moving objects in video calls |
Families Citing this family (9)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US8218734B2 (en) * | 2007-06-12 | 2012-07-10 | Microsoft Corporation | Messaging with a locked communication device |
US8346234B2 (en) * | 2008-11-08 | 2013-01-01 | Absolute Software Corporation | Secure platform management with power savings capacity |
CN102088583A (en) * | 2009-12-08 | 2011-06-08 | 鸿富锦精密工业(深圳)有限公司 | Remote controller and password protection method thereof |
EP2527955B1 (en) * | 2011-05-25 | 2017-12-20 | BlackBerry Limited | Proximity detection between a mobile device and a related object |
US8736564B2 (en) | 2011-05-25 | 2014-05-27 | Blackberry Limited | Proximity detection between a mobile device and a related object |
US9336357B2 (en) | 2012-09-28 | 2016-05-10 | Intel Corporation | Secure access management of devices |
US9626749B2 (en) | 2014-12-10 | 2017-04-18 | Intel Corporation | Sub-pixel modification of digital images by locally shifting to an arbitrarily dense supergrid |
US10924601B2 (en) | 2017-07-14 | 2021-02-16 | Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | Lock screen interface processing method and terminal |
CN109116829B (en) * | 2018-06-27 | 2019-07-23 | 苏州华兴源创科技股份有限公司 | The triggering implementation method and automatic test equipment of automatic test equipment |
Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4670747A (en) * | 1985-11-19 | 1987-06-02 | Motorola, Inc. | Alphanumeric entry system having an electronic lock feature |
US5241583A (en) * | 1990-04-20 | 1993-08-31 | Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd. | Portable radio telephone which terminates an electronic keypad lock function upon sensing an incoming call |
US5864765A (en) * | 1996-03-01 | 1999-01-26 | Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson | Method and arrangement relating to mobile telephone terminals |
US6449492B1 (en) * | 1999-12-02 | 2002-09-10 | Qualcomm Incorporated | Apparatus and method for preventing inadvertant operation of a manual input device |
US20050116840A1 (en) * | 2002-03-04 | 2005-06-02 | Kim Simelius | Method for intermediate unlocking of a keypad on a mobile electronic device |
US7076268B2 (en) * | 2004-05-13 | 2006-07-11 | International Business Machines Corporation | Preventing inadvertent striking of keys and like buttons in handheld palm-type devices when such devices are not in handheld usage |
US20070099574A1 (en) * | 2005-11-03 | 2007-05-03 | Chen-Kang Wang | Electronic Device Capable of Operating According to Detection of Environmental Light |
US20070161410A1 (en) * | 2006-01-11 | 2007-07-12 | Inventec Corporation | Mobile phone capable of controlling keyboard lock and method therefor |
Family Cites Families (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
KR20000044459A (en) | 1998-12-30 | 2000-07-15 | 윤종용 | Method for locking key pad of cellular phone |
KR20060080060A (en) | 2005-01-04 | 2006-07-07 | 주식회사 팬택앤큐리텔 | Wireless communication terminal having locking/release function of key-button and method thereof |
-
2007
- 2007-05-25 US US11/753,990 patent/US7792544B2/en active Active
-
2008
- 2008-05-12 WO PCT/US2008/063367 patent/WO2008147674A1/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4670747A (en) * | 1985-11-19 | 1987-06-02 | Motorola, Inc. | Alphanumeric entry system having an electronic lock feature |
US5241583A (en) * | 1990-04-20 | 1993-08-31 | Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd. | Portable radio telephone which terminates an electronic keypad lock function upon sensing an incoming call |
US5864765A (en) * | 1996-03-01 | 1999-01-26 | Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson | Method and arrangement relating to mobile telephone terminals |
US6449492B1 (en) * | 1999-12-02 | 2002-09-10 | Qualcomm Incorporated | Apparatus and method for preventing inadvertant operation of a manual input device |
US20050116840A1 (en) * | 2002-03-04 | 2005-06-02 | Kim Simelius | Method for intermediate unlocking of a keypad on a mobile electronic device |
US7076268B2 (en) * | 2004-05-13 | 2006-07-11 | International Business Machines Corporation | Preventing inadvertent striking of keys and like buttons in handheld palm-type devices when such devices are not in handheld usage |
US20070099574A1 (en) * | 2005-11-03 | 2007-05-03 | Chen-Kang Wang | Electronic Device Capable of Operating According to Detection of Environmental Light |
US20070161410A1 (en) * | 2006-01-11 | 2007-07-12 | Inventec Corporation | Mobile phone capable of controlling keyboard lock and method therefor |
Cited By (45)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US8704774B2 (en) * | 2006-09-01 | 2014-04-22 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Method for controlling partial lock in portable device having touch input unit |
US20080055276A1 (en) * | 2006-09-01 | 2008-03-06 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Method for controlling partial lock in portable device having touch input unit |
US20090058842A1 (en) * | 2007-09-04 | 2009-03-05 | Apple Inc. | Devices and methods for controlling a display to conserve power |
US20140337492A1 (en) * | 2007-10-18 | 2014-11-13 | Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. | Autonomic computer configuration based on location |
US9379941B2 (en) | 2007-10-18 | 2016-06-28 | Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. | Autonomic computer configuration based on location |
US10015047B2 (en) * | 2007-10-18 | 2018-07-03 | Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. | Autonomic computer configuration based on location |
US8285323B2 (en) * | 2007-12-26 | 2012-10-09 | Htc Corporation | Communication device and method for input interface auto-lock thereof |
US20090170553A1 (en) * | 2007-12-26 | 2009-07-02 | Htc Corporation | Communication device and method for input interface auto-lock thereof |
US20100117949A1 (en) * | 2008-11-10 | 2010-05-13 | Wistron Corp. | Control method for backlight module of lcd and application thereof |
US20100177037A1 (en) * | 2009-01-09 | 2010-07-15 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Apparatus and method for motion detection in a portable terminal |
US20100182147A1 (en) * | 2009-01-20 | 2010-07-22 | Infineon Technologies A.G. | Remote storage of data in phase-change memory |
US20100192090A1 (en) * | 2009-01-26 | 2010-07-29 | Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha | Order receiving apparatus and order receiving method |
US20120166696A1 (en) * | 2009-06-26 | 2012-06-28 | Nokia Corporation | Method, Apparatus and Computer Program Code Handling a User Input |
US10691191B2 (en) * | 2009-08-24 | 2020-06-23 | Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc | Application display on a locked device |
US20110300915A1 (en) * | 2010-06-08 | 2011-12-08 | Nokia Corporation | Method, apparatus and computer program product for enabling partial functionality of a mobile terminal |
US8718608B2 (en) * | 2010-06-11 | 2014-05-06 | Zte Corporation | Apparatus and method for unlocking mobile phone |
US20120289201A1 (en) * | 2010-06-11 | 2012-11-15 | Zte Corporation | Apparatus and method for unlocking mobile phone |
US20140094154A1 (en) * | 2010-12-26 | 2014-04-03 | Scott C. Harris | Movement detection system for a portable device such as a portable phone |
US8934880B2 (en) * | 2010-12-26 | 2015-01-13 | Scott C. Harris | Movement detection system for a portable device such as a portable phone |
US8600340B1 (en) | 2010-12-26 | 2013-12-03 | Scott C. Harris | Movement detection system for a portable device such as a portable phone |
US8665212B2 (en) | 2011-07-08 | 2014-03-04 | Blackberry Limited | Systems and methods for locking an electronic device |
EP2544070A1 (en) * | 2011-07-08 | 2013-01-09 | Research In Motion Limited | Systems and methods for locking an electronic device |
US9225813B2 (en) | 2011-10-13 | 2015-12-29 | The Boeing Company | Portable communication devices with accessory functions and related methods |
US10791205B2 (en) | 2011-10-13 | 2020-09-29 | The Boeing Company | Portable communication devices with accessory functions and related methods |
US9854075B2 (en) | 2011-10-13 | 2017-12-26 | The Boeing Company | Portable communication devices with accessory functions and related methods |
US9277037B2 (en) | 2011-10-13 | 2016-03-01 | The Boeing Company | Portable communication devices with accessory functions and related methods |
US9294599B2 (en) | 2011-10-13 | 2016-03-22 | The Boeing Company | Portable communication devices with accessory functions and related methods |
US10284694B2 (en) | 2011-10-13 | 2019-05-07 | The Boeing Company | Portable communication devices with accessory functions and related methods |
US9641656B2 (en) | 2011-10-13 | 2017-05-02 | The Boeing Company | Portable communication devices with accessory functions and related methods |
EP2743796A2 (en) * | 2012-12-11 | 2014-06-18 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd | Electronic apparatus, method of controlling the same, and computer-readable recording medium |
US20140160007A1 (en) * | 2012-12-11 | 2014-06-12 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd | Electronic apparatus, method of controlling the same, and computer-readable recording medium |
US9454208B2 (en) | 2013-03-14 | 2016-09-27 | Google Inc. | Preventing sleep mode for devices based on sensor inputs |
US9632570B2 (en) | 2013-03-14 | 2017-04-25 | Google Inc. | Maintaining or refraining from entering a sleep mode based on received conditions by application specific sensors |
US20150017948A1 (en) * | 2013-07-12 | 2015-01-15 | Nvidia Corporation | Method and system for in-application locking of mobile devices |
US20150072726A1 (en) * | 2013-09-12 | 2015-03-12 | The Boeing Company | Mobile communication device and method of operating thereof |
US9819661B2 (en) | 2013-09-12 | 2017-11-14 | The Boeing Company | Method of authorizing an operation to be performed on a targeted computing device |
US10064240B2 (en) * | 2013-09-12 | 2018-08-28 | The Boeing Company | Mobile communication device and method of operating thereof |
US10244578B2 (en) | 2013-09-12 | 2019-03-26 | The Boeing Company | Mobile communication device and method of operating thereof |
US9497221B2 (en) | 2013-09-12 | 2016-11-15 | The Boeing Company | Mobile communication device and method of operating thereof |
WO2015050532A1 (en) * | 2013-10-02 | 2015-04-09 | Thomson Licensing | Preventing accidental mobile device use |
WO2017017525A1 (en) * | 2015-07-29 | 2017-02-02 | Assa Abloy Ab | Based on motion of device, perform or limit features |
US10490006B2 (en) | 2015-07-29 | 2019-11-26 | Assa Abloy Ab | Based on motion of device, perform or limit features |
US20200349250A1 (en) * | 2019-04-30 | 2020-11-05 | International Business Machines Corporation | Multidimensional attribute authentication |
US11556628B2 (en) * | 2019-04-30 | 2023-01-17 | International Business Machines Corporation | Multidimensional attribute authentication |
WO2022086541A1 (en) * | 2020-10-22 | 2022-04-28 | Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. | Removal of moving objects in video calls |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2008147674A1 (en) | 2008-12-04 |
US7792544B2 (en) | 2010-09-07 |
Similar Documents
Publication | Publication Date | Title |
---|---|---|
US7792544B2 (en) | Method and apparatus for disabling the user interface of electronic devices | |
US8654078B2 (en) | Power saving system for a handheld communication device having a reduced alphabetic keyboard | |
US20170272563A1 (en) | Integrated personal digital assistant device | |
US9152212B2 (en) | Electronic device with enhanced method of displaying notifications | |
US9288762B2 (en) | Power consumption control apparatus in PDA phone | |
EP3554148B1 (en) | Apparatus and method for reducing power consumption in portable terminal | |
US8175662B2 (en) | System and method for selectively activating a communication device | |
US8199006B2 (en) | Computing device that detects hand presence in order to automate the transition of states | |
EP1709828B1 (en) | Method, apparatus and computer program product for intuitive energy management of a short-range communication transceiver associated with a mobile terminal | |
US7903087B2 (en) | Method for facilitating navigation and selection functionalities of a trackball incorporated upon a wireless handheld communication device | |
GB2342247A (en) | Mobile phone display and/or keypad illumination is turned off when call is being made to conserve power | |
US7095400B2 (en) | Method of automatically enabling or disabling backlight of electronic device based on a predetermined time | |
US20040051700A1 (en) | Portable touch screen device | |
JP2007266706A (en) | Portable terminal device and control method thereof | |
US20040078792A1 (en) | System and method for selectively deactivating auto-deploy functionality of a software input panel | |
CA2600117C (en) | Method for facilitating navigation and selection functionalities of a trackball incorporated upon a wireless handheld communication device | |
KR101134874B1 (en) | Control Apparatus and method for PDA of Touch pad | |
JP2002359672A (en) | Electronic equipment | |
CN115756365A (en) | Display method, display device, display equipment and storage medium | |
KR20040059335A (en) | Method for reducing power through set up the always sleep mode in mobile terminal | |
KR20060105322A (en) | Display control method for power saving in portable terminal | |
CA2591463A1 (en) | Power saving system for a handheld communication device | |
KR20060054505A (en) | Equipment and method for battery saving by using temperature sensor in the small portable electronic device | |
JP2010177883A (en) | Electronic apparatus |
Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: MOTOROLA, INC., ILLINOIS Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:VOGEDES, JEROME O.;JAGADESAN, BALAKUMAR;REEL/FRAME:019346/0088;SIGNING DATES FROM 20070523 TO 20070525 Owner name: MOTOROLA, INC., ILLINOIS Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:VOGEDES, JEROME O.;JAGADESAN, BALAKUMAR;SIGNING DATES FROM 20070523 TO 20070525;REEL/FRAME:019346/0088 |
|
STCF | Information on status: patent grant |
Free format text: PATENTED CASE |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: MOTOROLA MOBILITY, INC, ILLINOIS Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MOTOROLA, INC;REEL/FRAME:025673/0558 Effective date: 20100731 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC, ILLINOIS Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:MOTOROLA MOBILITY, INC.;REEL/FRAME:029216/0282 Effective date: 20120622 |
|
FPAY | Fee payment |
Year of fee payment: 4 |
|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: GOOGLE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLC, CALIFORNIA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC;REEL/FRAME:034451/0001 Effective date: 20141028 |
|
MAFP | Maintenance fee payment |
Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 8TH YEAR, LARGE ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M1552) Year of fee payment: 8 |
|
MAFP | Maintenance fee payment |
Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 12TH YEAR, LARGE ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M1553); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY Year of fee payment: 12 |